Bengkulu

Bengkulu ( Bangka Ulu, Benkulen, Dutch Benkoelen ) is a province on the west coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The existing independently since 1968 is the smallest province of Sumatra with a spatial extension of 21,168 km ². The capital of the same province, Bengkulu, has around 340,000 inhabitants ( 2007).

Geography

In addition to a narrow coastal strip of the province mainly comprises parts of Barisangebirges that pervades the whole island. For the province also includes the remote island Enggano.

History

The British East India Company founded 1685 in Bengkulu a commercial establishment ( named Bengcoolen ) after they had been expelled in 1682 from Bantam on the island of Java. 1714 Fort Marlborough was built, which still stands today. Thomas Stamford Raffles in 1817 to the Governor. From 1825, the area belonged to the Dutch, and since Indonesia's independence in 1949, it is a province.

The earthquake of 4 June 2000 with the magnitude of 7.9 and epicenter near the village of Tai 117 people died and over 1,300 were injured. A series of further earthquake claimed 13 lives in September 2007.

Economy and Tourism

Since the colonial period, the coal and gold mining plays a significant role. The main agricultural products include ginger, pepper, coconuts and coffee. In the valleys of the Barisangebirges and in the coastal lowland intensive rice economy can be operated. The importance of tourism is on the rise.

Religion

90 % of the population are Muslim, 7 % Hindu, and the rest consists of minorities of Christians and animists.